Four Goods Co: “Norway- The Great Recycling Machine”

Towards the end of last year, Collins Dictionary announced that its 2018 word of the year was “single-use”, a statement which emphasises the growing public discourse on plastic consumption. Reducing individual and company use of plastic is one way to cut its use, but what can be done about the plastic already in existence, and how can we make recycling easier and more efficient?

Unsurprisingly Norway is already held as a pinnacle of plastic recycling excellence. In 1972 the panteordning was introduced, an extra tax on bottles and tins which is repaid when the items are returned to a self-service device. Located at most supermarkets, the machines are emptied by the bottle suppliers, who re-use the bottles. Norwegians purchase drinks with the belief that while they buy the product they are only borrowing the packaging.

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